The father-of-one is originally from Achill Island, Co. Mayo and has one previous minor conviction for possessing drugs.

The court heard that Maxwell was stopped by gardai the following day for a random drugs search, when he confessed to the aggravated burglary. The court heard was carrying a bag containing some of the items that had been taken from the house.

Judge Martin Nolan said Maxwell participated voluntarily in the home invasion, which he described as a “reprehensible crime”.

The judge imposed a five year sentence with three suspended and ordered that Maxwell undergo 18 month probation service supervision post release.

A student from Balla has been named on head coach William O’Connor’s 18-strong panel for this season’s Centenary Shield crusade.

Luke McNicholas from Balla Secondary School, Liam Kerrigan from St Attracta’s Community school in Tubbercurry and Adam Rooney from Yeats College, Galway are named on the panel.

The 2018 series will see the Republic of Ireland with two consecutive away fixtures as the Boys in Green commence battle, taking on the Welsh Dragons in a fortnight’s time, while a month later, they will visit Luton Town to take on their hosts England in what should prove to be one of their toughest tests I the 4-match programme.

The Republic of Ireland will meet Northern Ireland at the end of March, with a final game against Scotland in April.

Erris Chamber and businesses in Belmullet are totally against the proposed introduction of parking charges in the town – that’s according to the chairperson of Erris Chamber, Damien Langan.

He was reacting to news this week that Mayo County Council is proposing the introduction of car parking charges in an additional 8 towns in the county – Ballyhaunis, Belmullet, Crossmolina, Charlestown, Swinford, Foxford, Kiltimagh and Knock - in order to generate further revenue for the council.

The council is also proposing to charge for on-street parking in Westport, where currently motorists only pay to use the car-parks, but on street parking is free.

Westport-based Fianna Fail Councillor Brendan Mulroy told Midwest News yesterday that he will not support any move to introduce on-street parking charges in Westport, and claims this is just a money-making exercise by the council.

Irish Water is reminding customers that the boil water notice, issued on Monday for the Lough Talt Public Water supply scheme, remains in place until further notice, following the detection of cryptosporidium in the treated water.

Irish Water has now confirmed that Charlestown has been removed from the boil alert, while the Moylough Group Water Scheme on the Mayo / Sligo border has been added.

Areas affected include the towns of Tubbercurry and Ballymote, and a large rural hinterland including the villages of Annagh, Aclare, Bellaghy, Bunnanaddan, Curry, Lavagh, Ballinacarrow, Carroweden, Kilmacteige, Quarryfield and Coolaney.

It also includes customer supplied by the Ogham Group Water scheme in Co Sligo, while Mayo areas affected include Cloontia, Doocastle and the Moylough Group Water Scheme.

Customers are reminded to boil water before consumption, until further notice.

A water sampling plan is starting today for a 2-week period, and the results will be reviewed before further action is advised by the HSE

Irish Water is also increasing its scouring programme over the next few days which might cause some discolouration to water.

Customers who experience discolouration should run the tap until the water runs clear.

A barrier has been erected at the entrance to Marsh House in Castlebar, the location of the new Educate Together Primary School, and it is preventing vehicles accessing the public Council car park located beside the school.

The matter was raised by Independent Councillor Michael Kilcoyne at the February meeting of Castlebar Municipal District.

He said three businesses, located opposite the entrance to the school, have reported that the barrier is significantly impacting on their customers, who had always used the council carpark.

Councillor Kilcoyne told Midwest News today that he has no problem with Educate Together using the carpark, but he is objecting to it being blocked off to the general public.

In response, council management said they will investigate the situation.

Midwest News contacted Educate Together about the new barrier, and a spokesperson said they have contacted the Dept of Education to look into the matter.

She said that Educate Together are under the impression that the lease secured between the Dept and the council included the entire property, and are now awaiting clarification.

A Roscommon TD says he wants answers from TII about what is happening in regards to the gritting of major routes in the county.

There were very poor driving conditions on many roads in Roscommon this morning following snow overnight, including accidents on the N5 and N4 roads.

Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy told Midwest News that he has received numerous complaints over the condition of some roads in Roscommon over the past number of days, but particularly overnight last night.

He says Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is responsible for telling Roscommon County Council and other local authorities which roads to grit and he wants answers as to why major routes in Roscommon appear not to have been gritted last night.

Roscommon County Council confirmed that it did not grit roads in the county overnight on the basis of forecasts received from Met Eireann.

Patients and workers at Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway have this morning been urged to check their EuroMillions tickets after Tuesday night’s EuroMillions draw produced another EuroMillions Plus top prize winner of €500,000 – the fifth win in Ireland so far this year.

The winning Quick Pick ticket was bought yesterday at the Oasis Shop which caters for hospital patients, visitors and workers.

Portiuncula Hospital Ballinasloe is an acute general and maternity Hospital. The catchment area includes patients residing in the East Galway, Roscommon, Midlands and Mid-Western areas.

The winning EuroMillions Plus numbers are: 13, 15, 22, 25, 41.

There was no winner of the Tuesday’s EuroMillions €115 million jackpot which means that Friday’s jackpot now rolls to a whopping €130 million.

Farmers from across the region travelled to Co Leitrim today to protest at what they claim is an “unworkable” fodder support scheme.

Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim farmers were all represented at the demonstration which took place at Department of Agriculture offices in Drumshanbo, with farmers calling for the immediate introduction of a meal voucher scheme for those experiencing fodder shortages.

The protest was organised by the Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association, who say the Agriculture Minister has ignored the principal recommendation of the fodder committee, which was for a meal voucher scheme.

While the Minister did deliver a transport subsidy, its restrictive nature means it will not deliver for most farmers, according to National President Colm O’Donnell.

He wants licenced hauliers who traditionally source quality fodder to be involved in the transport subsidy scheme, and he’s calling for a change to the 100km zone for sourcing fodder.

The INHFA is also calling for square bales of hay and straw to be included in the scheme, and for local Agri stores to be added to the scheme where there is no Co-op in the area.

The organisation is calling on Minister Michael Creed to reconvene the fodder action group to address the problems with the scheme designed by his Department and the co-operatives.

The government has launched the National Planning Framework with 116 billion euro of investment announced.

There's 22 billion for measures to tackle climate change as well as large investments in health, housing, education and transport.

Project 2040 was formally approved by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his ministers at a special Cabinet meeting in Sligo.

This is a plan that aims to prepare the country for a population expansion of around one million people over the next 20 years. The plan also aims to have an extra 660,000 people at work.

The Government announced four new funds totaling €4bn for "rural and urban growth, climate action and innovation".

Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring says some of the projects included are major improvements to the N4/N5 including on the Westport to Turlough section, the Ballaghadereen to Scramogue section and the extension of the motorway from Mullingar to Longford.

A special Rural Regeneration Fund worth €1 billion nationally to be administered and will involve targeted investment in towns, villages and townlands in Mayo.

A significant investment package in Ireland West Airport Knock in recognition of its strategic importance as a major regional airport.

An Urban Regeneration Fund which will see significant investment in rural towns with a population of over 10,000 such as Castlebar and Ballina as well as our major cities.

€19.4 million to be invested in new sewerage schemes for Foxford, Charlestown and Killala.

4 new consultants will be recruited at Mayo University Hospital as part of the national trauma care strategy.

€3.5 million investment in GMIT Castlebar campus.

New cycling and walking trails in Ballycroy as well as Major improvements to the Ceide Fields Visitor Experience.